Blake Koch of Kaulig Racing from Akron, Ohio, won the first stage ahead of Brennan Poole. Hornish, who won the pole, easily took the second 20-lap stage by 4.645 seconds over Hemric.

After Hornish lost the lead on a pit stop, he regained it on lap 46 when he went side-by-side with Hemric through turns 5 through 9 before taking the inside position and pulling away.

"It was our race to lose today," Hornish said. "I had a good battle with Daniel."

Elliott Sadler, the series points leader, was sixth.

WHO'S HOT: Hemric continues to do well with his first 10-top finish at Mid-Ohio and his ninth top-10 finish this year.

WHO'S NOT: Sheldon Creed and Cole Custer, in the No. 01 and 00 cars respectively, went off for extensive repairs after the first lap. Custer dropped some oil on the course, necessitating a caution, and Creed went out with mechanical problems. Creed ran 56 laps and finished 34th, one spot ahead of Custer, who completed 54 laps.

QUOTABLE: Tifft qualified fifth but dropped to as low as 37th before his strong finish. "It wasn't the greatest start," he said. "I had to be patient. I had to be smart."

SPEAKING: William Byron on the radio to his JR Motorsports crew on lap 35: '"'I can't turn right now guys."

UP NEXT: Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, on Friday. Austin Dillon is the defending champion.